The Abandoned Bride

Chapter 25

"When your Father was sick, I spent a lot of time with him and tried to help him with his illness. I think he also enjoyed my company and your Mother treated me well at this time. When your Father died I believe your Mother resented me and blamed me for his death. This is when the abuse began and only ended when you came back. I know your Mother and all the servants have a different story so how could I come against this as an outsider to the family. Do you understand how it wouldn't have helped for me to even say this out loud" I say standing up and getting angry at him.

"Danni, I know you don't expect me to believe you, but there was enough evidence to tell me that you had been abused" He says gently touching my hand.

"What do you mean?" I say with my eyes still burning with tears.

"You were living in poor conditions and you were as thin as the refugees I would see on the border. The doctor also told me he has never treated you for any illness and you had lived there for 10 years already" He says gently pulling me down beside him.

"Of course I don't really know how exactly you were being abused, but I could definitely tell that something was wrong here" He says.

"Your Mother forced me to transcribe books for no pay and I barely would get any food, the servants were allowed to beat me as they pleased. Mother-in-Law would claim I stole something and then I would be beaten again and this happened once a month" I say with no emotion in my voice.

"Oh Danni, I am so sorry" He says, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples. I start pulling up the sleeves on my dress and I show him the scars on my arms and then pull up my dress to show him the scars on my legs.

"These are the scars that Prince Sung Ying had seen on me. I don't even know how I lasted that long in that horrible place" I say shivering thinking of being back there.

"I'm sorry Danni, I should have protected you, I should have come home to see you sooner" He says touching my arms and then lowers my dress for me.

"So you were running away? The night I came home?" He says.

"Yes, I would sneak out some nights to see my Uncle who runs the entertainment house and I would work there to make some money for extra food and medicine. One day a theater troupe was coming through town and they offered to take me with them so I was going to join them and never look back" I explain.

"So you didn't have a lover that you were running away with?" He says.

"No, that doesn't even make sense" I say.

"Well when you were feverish you were talking about going away with someone?" He says.

"Is that what you were so upset about?" I say thinking back to Changwei's fierceness.

"I honestly was so happy to see my wife, I couldn't have let you go with another man even if you would have begged me those days" He says looking down.

"You may be the only one that thinks that way about me" I say.

"Of course, I think you were beautiful the minute I sneaked a peek at you on our wedding day" He says and I can sense the feelings he has for me.

"I should have been more honest with you sooner" I say, realizing that I have been misunderstanding him.

"No I am so sorry for everything my wife" He says and gets down on his knees in front of me and I am so shocked.

"No stand up" I say confused.

"My wife please forgive me for neglecting for so many years and being unable to stop my Mother from doing such heinous abuse. I will try my best to fix this and recompense for the misdeeds done to you, you may punish me anyway you deem fit" He says .